


Roomies

by smushly



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: Fluff, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-16
Updated: 2013-05-16
Packaged: 2017-12-12 00:59:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/805314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smushly/pseuds/smushly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bradley returns from America.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Roomies

**Author's Note:**

> I just...I had this idea weeks ago but never wrote it. But I was bored at work, so here it is! Lol I hope everyone enjoys!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own NOTHING.

Bradley can’t get his leg to stop bouncing. Every time he forces it still, it’s just a matter of time before he loses concentration and it starts up again. The woman squished next to him keeps scowling, as if he’s annoying her on purpose. He doesn’t know why he’s nervous. After all, he’s just going home…

~*~

“Hey roomie!” Eoin grins at him as Bradley walks away from the gate, sunglasses on despite the gloomy London morning.

“Macken,” Bradley returns with a nod. Eoin just laughs and pulls him into a manly, backslapping embrace, a grin finally breaking out on Bradley’s face. Oh, he’s missed this.

“So, how was the flight?” Eoin asks as they walk to the cab together.

“Flighty,” replies Bradley in a bored tone.

Eoin just shakes his head and shoves him.

~*~

Once at their flat, Bradley dumps his bag right inside the doorway and moves to the sitting room, collapsing on the couch with a sigh. He toes off his shoes and shoves them under the coffee table with his foot and then removes his sunglasses, tossing them aside. “How is sitting for twelve hours so exhausting?” he muses.

Eoin sits in the chair next to the couch and says, “I’m sure it takes a lot of energy to look that beautiful all the time, Princess. Got nothing to do with the flight.”

Bradley grins and closes his eyes, breathing deeply. “It’s good to be back. The States are cool but, it’s not home.”

“You mean you missed me?” Eoin asks with a pout.

Bradley just laughs. “Never.”

~*~

“ ‘Bout time you woke up, sleeping beauty!” Eoin said as Bradley stumbled into the kitchen after his nap on the couch.

“Shu’up. ‘M Starving. Haven’t eaten since yesterday,” Bradley mumbles, rummaging through cupboards and scratching his stomach.

“Well, they do serve food on the plane you know.”

Bradley glares. “You know how I feel about that slop.”

Eoin grins cheekily. “By the way, I couldn’t help but notice you’d unfollowed me on Twitter. That stung, man.”

Bradley just tossed him the two finger salute and went back to the sitting room with a box of cereal.

~*~

“Off to the theatre?”

Bradley winces as he’s caught trying to sneak out the front door. He turns around to face Eoin, who’s eyebrow is raised in a fabulous Gaius impression. “Yes, mum. I am.”

Eoin whoops. “I TOLD Hopper that’s why you came back! I knew it!”

Bradley huffs indignantly. “That is NOT why I came back. I just… it was just time. You said it yourself, I can’t hide forever!”

“So you admit you’re hiding from him?”

Bradley’s eyes shift away nervously. “From who?”

Eoin rolls his eyes and looks at Bradley like he’s more than a bit dim.

Bradley scoffs. “I was hiding from-from the fans! They’re crazy!” he says with a squeak. “I’m leaving now. You should turn in early, you’re obviously becoming delusional." And with a dramatic flourish, he turns and bolts out the door, closing it a bit harder than intended.

~*~

He’d left earlier than needed. Okay, a lot earlier than needed. He finds himself standing over-looking the Thames, breathing in the familiar scent of algae and city fumes. It’s the best thing he’s ever smelled.

~*~

He somehow makes it into the theatre unrecognized, and he’s grateful. His palms are sweating and his leg is bouncing again. The play begins but he can’t seem to lose himself in the story. This was a stupid idea. He should just leave. The other man won’t want to see him, not after the way he left…

But then, there he is. In a ridiculous, feathery, skin tight, PINK costume. His dark hair slicked back and with too much makeup on his face. His gorgeous blue eyes sparkling.

Even more beautiful than Bradley remembers. And he can’t help the smile that appears on his face.

~*~

As everyone files out, Bradley stays in his seat. He notices Tony at the exit, and they wave at each other as Tony and his partner, Sarah, exit the theatre. Once alone, his nerves come back to him. An employee comes up and says in an apologetic tone that he needs to leave so they can clean up.

“I’m actually… I was hoping to go back and see Colin,” Bradley says.

Recognition dawns on the employee’s face. “Oh! You’re Bradley James! Yes, of course! Come with me, I’ll show you to his dressing room.”

~*~

He’s standing in front of Colin’s dressing room door, trying to get his arm to raise to knock, when it opens and a very startled Mr. Morgan nearly jumps out of his skin and let’s out a small “Oh!”

Bradley shifts and smiles weakly at him. His mouth’s gone dry and he can’t seem to form any words.

“Hi Bradley,” Colin says, brows furrowed in confusion. “I didn’t know you were back.”

Bradley clears his throat and croaks out, “Yeah. Just got in this morning.”

“Oh, well… welcome back then, I guess.”

“Yeah, yeah thanks mate. You were great. In the- in the play. Pink suits you.” Bradley mentally slaps himself. Pink suits you?

The corner of Colin’s mouth twitches up. “Cheers.”

Bradley rubs his arm nervously. “Did you want to go grab a pint?

“Nah, I was just on my way home, actually. Long night. And you know I don’t indulge when I’m working,” Colin responds apologetically.

Bradley’s face falls. “Right. Yeah. Course. Okay. Well… best be off then.” He forces another smile and turns to walk down the narrow hallway to the exit.

“Bradley.”

Bradley nearly gets whiplash as he turns his gaze back to Colin. “Yeah?”

“Maybe I can drop by on my next off day?”

Bradley beams. “Oh, yeah, great! That’d be great! Just give me a ring when you head over.”

Colin smiles and says, “Okay, I’ll do that. And Bradley? Thanks for coming.”

Bradley nods. “Yeah, course Cols. Wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

~*~

“I’m telling you Alex, he won’t stop cleaning. I don’t know what the hell’s wrong with him! He keeps kicking me out of rooms that he’s already cleaned just to come and kick me out again and now I’ve myself locked in a closet so he thinks I’m gone!”

_“I don’t know, did you ask him?”_

“Course I did! He just grunted and then yelled at me for squishing the new decorative pillows he bought for the furniture! DECORATIVE PILLOWS, mate. What the hell?!” Eoin whispers a bit hysterically.

_“Maybe his mum’s coming to visit?”_

“I don’t think that’s it. She usually cleans the flat for him when she gets here.”

_“That’s just sad, Macken. You’re two grown ass men. Does she do the laundry too?”_

Eoin scoffs. “Course. That is part of cleaning, isn’t it?” Suddenly he hears the buzzer. “Shhh!” he says over Alex’s ranting. “Someone’s at the door, I need to hear who it is!” He presses his ear to the door of the closet, trying to make out the muffled voice on the intercom.

“I can’t make it out, but it was definitely male.”

_“Tom maybe?”_

“Nah, Tom’s off doing something for that pirate show.” There’s a knock on the door and Eoin watches through a crack as Bradley goes to answer it, rubbing his hands on his pants. “Sunshine’s opening the door.”

_“Well, who is it?”_

“Hold on will ya, I can’t see yet. Bradders arse is blocking him.” Bradley and the mystery man hugged awkwardly. “They’re hugging.”

_“Come on Macken, you’re killing me!”_

“Shush!” Bradley finally moved back to lead the stranger into the sitting room and Eoin gasped. “Mate, it’s Colin!”

_“Oh. Really? Bradley had his knickers in a twist over Colin dropping by? That’s odd.”_

Eoin rolled his eyes. “C’mon mate. You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”

_“Noticed what?”_

“Seriously? I know you were only on set for a series but how could you miss it? They’re arse over tit for each other.”

_“Oh. Well… yeah I guess that makes sense. But then why’d Bradley go to America?”_

“He was afraid, wasn’t he? Thought himself straight! Can’t really hold it against him, though. It’d be damn weird if one day I realized I had penis feelings for my best mate.”

_“Penis feelings? Macken, what are you, ten?”_

“Oi, shove off you. I’m trying to see what’s going on.” He could hear they’re muffled voices, but couldn’t make out actual words. And his view was mostly obstructed by the wall of the sitting room, but he could see the occasional flash of an arm. “I’m getting nothing mate.”

_“Well, maybe you should just sneak out and meet me for a pint mate. It’s kind of weird, you watching them from a closet.”_

“Yeah, yeah okay mate. Hold on a sec, let me just…” Eoin’s eyes narrow and he gasps loudly, slapping a hand over his mouth to keep from making more noise. “Alex! They’re kissing!! I repeat, sunshine and magic man are kissing!!”

_“What! They are not. You’re having me on. Get your arse out to the pub.”_

“Wait!” Eoin takes his phone and snaps a picture of the two men locked together, trying to eat each others faces off. He sends it to Alex. Raising the phone to his ear again, he says, “Check your texts!”

He heard a rustle and then, _“OMG! MACKEN DELETE THAT RIGHT NOW! Leave the flat, you should not be doing this, it’s wrong!”_

“And miss the show?!”

_“Yes! This is their personal life you pervert!”_

“Ugh! Fine! You’re worse than a bird, mate! I should’ve called Katie!”

_“Out!”_

“Yes yes, I’m going. I’ll see you at the pub.” He hangs up on Alex and slips quietly out of the closet and sneaks into the kitchen. He grabs a Post-It and writes ‘Thanks for the blackmail ;)’ and sticks it to the front door before slipping out.

~*~

A couple hours later, as Bradley is showing Colin to the door, big grins plastered on both of their faces, Bradley notices the little yellow square.

“Ah, fuck. MACKEN!! He better not Tweet this!”


End file.
